Are You Seeing Red??

Some people naturally have a reddish face and are happy with the rosy hue it gives them. But for others, the red face is a continuous personal embarrassment. And, sometimes it can mean a more serious disorder which needs to be properly investigated and treated. Red, irritated skin can be a mystery. Is it rosacea? Eczema? Are you simply a delicate flower? (Nothing wrong with that, unless you’ve ambushed your face with seven different exfoliating products.) So do not feel you are wasting your doctor’s time by seeking help for a red face.

Today, I want to talk about the very common condition in Texas – Rosacea. There are two main types of rosacea, and both tend to have genetic causes:

Telangiectatic or vascular Rosacea is the “classic” type of rosacea that’s characterized by sensitive skin and broken capillaries. Often, these people will flush or blush easily their whole lives and have very sensitive and reactive skin. As they age, some threshold is crossed where the skin almost becomes tired of the frequent flushing, and blood vessels burst, resulting in a chronically ruddy appearance. This type of rosacea often presents itself for the first time when people are in their 30s or 40s and becomes more prevalent with age.

Inflammatory or acne Rosacea is the second, also very common type. In addition to facial redness and sensitive skin, these people experience breakouts (papules and pustules). Often, people who were plagued with acne when they were younger transition to acne rosacea as they age.

STEP ONE: AVOID THE TRIGGERS

The first step in treating rosacea is lifestyle change. Though rosacea is genetic in nature, there are lots of “triggers” that make it worse. Avoid common triggers listed here.

SUN EXPOSURE: Everyone should avoid the sun and use sunscreen , but people with rosacea are particularly sensitive. But beware! – Skin affected by rosacea is very sensitive to chemicals and a natural sunblock with zinc and titanium as the main active ingredients should be use.

ALCOHOL: Alcohol doesn’t cause rosacea, but it does dilate blood vessels in the face. That makes rosacea worse.

SPICY FOODS: Heavily spiced foods cause flushing and worsen rosacea.

COSMETICS: Makeup, cleansers, lotions, and even some moisturizers can irritate the skin. Use only products that are non-irritating, hypoallergenic, and noncomedogenic.

STEP TWO: GET THE RED OUT WITH PHOTOFACIAL!

The first-line medical treatment is prescriptive skincare which could include topical or oral antibiotics, as well as other topical prescriptions such as metronidazole or azelaic acid. These treatments can help control your skin’s flushing and sensitivities – but it will not remove or reduce already visible and dilated blood vessels. For that, you will need PHOTOFACIAL, also known as IPL (INTENSE PULSE LIGHT).

Does the type of IPL treatment matter? Absolutely! Not all IPL results are the same because not all IPL systems are safe and effective. And, unlike many practices, where your complete care is delegated to a nurse or aesthetician, my practice philosophy has always been to personally consult all treatments prior to starting.

At Skin M.D. and Beyond, we offer the M22 IPL Device, one of the most advanced PHOTOFACIAL machines available, which can ensure you great results! With several different size handpieces we can choose the correct one for the location and size of your vessels. As well, we have 7 different filters to choose from to address the color and depth of the problem. In total, this provides 21 DIFFERENT OPTIONS to offer our patients! This enables me to treat more types of patients and conditions with better outcomes.

As commented by RealSelf.com, the M22 PHOTOFACIAL was invented by the company that created and introduced the IPL Photofacial technology to the aesthetic world. With its exclusive OPT technology, it provides me with optimum choices to deliver the appropriate pulse for any application. I am able to control the pulse shape of the light in order to allow the best results and reduce the chances of skin damage. The process is ideal for patients with active lifestyles because the procedure requires no downtime and has low risk of side effects. The results speak for themselves – when two thirds of my clients are referrals from existing happy and satisfied clients!